October 23, 2017

Not Much to Show on the Barn

Sam showing off the outer wall for the hayloft.

Ridge beam extension at the peak

This will be for a block and tackle.

That's about it for actual barn progress since my last barn post. All of the action has been taking place at the sawmill, because the next step was to cut rafters for the milking room and nailers for the roof.

After that Dan got a start on the milking room roof,

Ridge for the milking room rafters.

but then a vehicle problem channeled all energies elsewhere. So while he's working on the truck I may as well get started on the paint.

As a consolation for not having many barn progress photos, here are a few of Sam and Meowy, two of our barn cats.

Ed, that sawmill was one of the best investments we've made, right after the tractor. For painting, I don't usually use a primer on our outbuildings. The barn paint does a pretty good job, and I usually find I only need two coats even without a primer. Too bad it only comes in a few colors.

Leigh,My husband and I both love the saw mill Dan has. There's nice progress on your barn. Unexpected issues always come up, requiring work on projects to stop. Nice work! Painting is one of those projects were always going to have to do.😉

You know, I refuse to buy paint for fences or outbuildings. My uncle told me many years ago that if instead I were to use used oil (& what farmer does not have a bucket of oil from changing all the vehicles?) then it would preserve the wood, discourage chewing horses, and look fantastic. Guess what? It does. For the first 2 years I painted in the Spring, now I only oil paint every 4 or 5 years. All our wood is gloriously black and well preserved, thanks to advice from old Uncle Wally. For those who do not have 'enough' used oil but want to try it - town works sites usually have & will give it for free when they hear how you are recycling it!

Wonderful! Love the direction the barn and all else is headed. Aren't barn cats the best? I only have one now Tubby Tabby as her barn buddy Snowy River passed last Spring. They had been together for eleven years. You will love your cement floor in the milking room. My last barn prior to the current milk room had one and makes those occasional spills a dream with a quick clean up. Except for the milkmaid left crying over spilled milk 😂

Any time you are working on a big project it seems like there is not much to show for all the hours of work you put in. I know the feeling! But I think you guys are amazing and talented and brave! Your own saw mill? That is amazing and expensive too I bet but I was scared to run my chipper shredder....I cannot imagine running a sawmill! LOL! Be safe, and good work on the barn....you may not see the progress but I think the rest of us do and we applaud you both! I think the 'barn' cats are getting excited about 'their' new barn! LOL!

You would have done so well in the pioneer days. I don't know anybody else that is so good at taking care of everything on their land. The closest I know is Joel, who lives in the Arizona desert, but he just has a dog and the occasional long horn that passes by.

If winter arrives too soon, you could always tarp the roof to keep things dry. I'm setting up a LOGOSOL Big Mill Basic on a permanent base in my back yard, but I don't have any barn projects in mind - maybe a very small tool shed. I'd rather have a bandmill like yours, but they were out of my budget.

Sam, in the beginning we had some funds saved for materials but decided to invest them in the sawmill. Are we ever glad we did! It's more than paid for itself. But I wouldn't try to operate it myself. Not a tool person! That's Dan's domain.

Rain, thanks!

Harry, I'd like to think so, but we still seem awfully dependent on so many modern things. Once the barn is built we plan to focus on soil and pasture improvement, which we probably should have done first. That will be an important step toward being more responsible for ourselves.

Gorges, welcome! Good idea about the tarp, it may come to that, although I'm still hoping for a roof soon! Of the sawmill, I have to confess that we found it on Craigslist for an excellent price. Dan has a flimsy version of the Logosol (different brand and not so well made looking). Sometimes it's been just the right tool, however, for logs too big around for his mill.

5 Acres & A Dream. The dream has always been to live close to the land. The 5 acres came in 2009, when my husband Dan and I bought a neglected 1920s-built bungalow on 5 acres. The goal is simpler, sustainable, more self-reliant living, and a return to agrarian values.

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